Modular and detachable wearable devices for ar/vr/mr

ABSTRACT

A wearable device for augmented media content experiences can be formed with a mountable physical structure that has removably mountable positions and component devices that are removably mounted through the removably mountable positions. The component devices can be specifically selected based on a specific type of content consumption environment in which the wearable device is to operate. The mountable physical structure may be subject to a device washing process to which the component devices are not subject to, after the wearable device including the mountable physical structure and the component devices is used by a viewer in a content consumption session in the specific type of content consumption environment, so long as the component devices are subsequently removed from the mountable physical structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/123,275 filed Mar. 14, 2019, which claims priority to the U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/556,915, filed Sep. 11, 2017 and EuropeanPatent Application No. 17205123.7, filed Dec. 4, 2017, both of which areincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates generally to display systems, and inparticular, to modular and detachable wearable devices for augmentedreality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and so forth.

B ACKGROUND

A wearable device that supports AR, VR, MR, and so forth, can be used bya viewer to blend virtual objects depicted in images on a device displaywith physical objects in a physical environment, or with other virtualobjects depicted in other images on a different display such as a cinemadisplay, a television, and so forth. To provide the viewer a natural andseamless user experience, the wearable device may integrate a largenumber of delicate and sophisticated electric and optical components ata great cost into an overall system of a form factor suitable forwearing.

To be used in mass entertainment venues such as cinemas the wearabledevices would be subject to stringent laws and industry guidelines thatregulate how these devices should be cleaned. As the wearable devicescontain many sensitive electric and optical components, harsh devicewashing processes in compliance with the laws and industry guidelineswould likely damage and degrade these wearable devices through liquids,chemical agents, high pressures and violent movements used in the devicewashing processes.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could bepursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previouslyconceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it shouldnot be assumed that any of the approaches described in this sectionqualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in thissection. Similarly, issues identified with respect to one or moreapproaches should not assume to have been recognized in any prior art onthe basis of this section, unless otherwise indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates side and perspective views of an example mountablephysical structure;

FIG. 2A through FIG. 2F illustrate example wearable devices;

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B illustrate example process flows for devicecalibration of component devices in wearable devices;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example process flow; and

FIG. 5 illustrates an example hardware platform on which a computer or acomputing device as described herein may be implemented.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Example embodiments, which relate to modular and detachable wearabledevices for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality(MR), and so forth, are described herein. In the following description,for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forthin order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may bepracticed without these specific details. In other instances, well-knownstructures and devices are not described in exhaustive detail, in orderto avoid unnecessarily occluding, obscuring, or obfuscating the presentinvention.

Example embodiments are described herein according to the followingoutline:

1. GENERAL OVERVIEW

2. WASHABLE AND NON-WASHABLE COMPONENTS

3. MOUNTABLE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE

4. WEARABLE DEVICES WITH OUTSIDE-IN TRACKING

5. WEARABLE DEVICES WITH INSIDE-OUT TRACKING

6. WEARABLE DEVICES WITH EYE TRACKING

7. ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES

8. DEVICE CALIBRATION

9. EXAMPLE PROCESS FLOWS

10. IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS—HARDWARE OVERVIEW

11. EQUIVALENTS, EXTENSIONS, ALTERNATIVES AND MISCELLANEOUS

-   1. General Overview

This overview presents a basic description of some aspects of an exampleembodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that thisoverview is not an extensive or exhaustive summary of aspects of theexample embodiment. Moreover, it should be noted that this overview isnot intended to be understood as identifying any particularlysignificant aspects or elements of the example embodiment, nor asdelineating any scope of the example embodiment in particular, nor theinvention in general. This overview merely presents some concepts thatrelate to the example embodiment in a condensed and simplified format,and should be understood as merely a conceptual prelude to a moredetailed description of example embodiments that follows below. Notethat, although separate embodiments are discussed herein, anycombination of embodiments and/or partial embodiments discussed hereinmay be combined to form further embodiments.

A wearable device as described herein may be formed by modular anddetachable component devices to support VR, AR, MR, and so forth. Someor all of the component devices can be attached to and removed from thewearable device by way of removably mountable positions on a mountablephysical structure used to form the wearable device. Additionally,optionally or alternatively, any, some or all of the component devicescan be used individually, in specific component device combinations, orin different wearable devices. Additionally, optionally oralternatively, any, some or all of the component devices may be cleanedjointly or separately.

In some embodiments, the wearable device may be an AR headset thatcomprises imagers to access media content that is location based or thatis made available in conjunction with other images provided in anoverall augmented cinema experience.

For example, the imagers may be used to provide location dependent orlocation independent content that could be complementary to a physicalscene.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, to augment cinema 3Dexperience, passive optical systems or passive optical stacks may beincorporated (e.g., mounted, clipped on, built, etc.) into the wearabledevices for separating 3D color images rendered on a cinema display. Theimagers may be used to provide additional media content that could becomplementary to a depicted scene in the 3D color images.

Modularity and detachability of component devices allows flexiblecombinations to be made for different content consumption environment.Instead of making a single monolithic powerful and expensive device thatis suitable for all content consumption environments, different wearabledevices or a wearable device with different combinations of componentdevices optimized for specific content consumption environments can berespectively made in the field by viewers or cinema operators. As aresult, wearable devices can be made with less weight and waste (e.g.,by including only component devices that would be used in a specificcontent consumption environment, etc.).

A wearable device may be specifically designed to make parts of thewearable device that are to be in (e.g., substantial from the point ofview of the governing laws and regulations as to require relativelyharsh washing, etc.) physical contact with hair, skin or fluid of aviewer as separate modular and detachable component device(s) that canbe removed at the end of a content consumption session for washing. Suchseparate modular and detachable component device(s) may include, but notnecessarily limited to only, any, some, or all of: the physicalstructure that provides the removably mountable positions, opticalcomponents hermetically or substantially insulated from physicalcontact, electronic components hermetically or substantially insulatedfrom physical contact, etc.

In contrast, electronic and optical parts that can be cleaned with lightcleaning such as a simple wipe down or that are not required forrelatively harsh device washing can be placed in modular and detachablecomponent device(s) that have no or insignificant physical contact withhair, skin or fluid of a viewer. Such separate modular and detachablecomponent device(s) may include, but not necessarily limited to only,any, some, or all of: imaging devices, media streaming devices, locationand mapping devices, electronic devices other than plug-in media storageand audio devices (e.g., flash drives, USB drives, earbuds, earphones,clip-on microphones, etc.), etc.

Given stringent laws and guidelines for cleaning devices used in apublic venue such as a cinema, a single monolithic device would includemany electronic and optical parts, and would cost too much to be washedin relatively harsh device washing, thereby making such a device notviable commercially in mass entertainment venues. Modular and detachabledesigns used in forming wearable devices as described herein can be usedto avoid making such monolithic devices and to avoid washing delicateelectronic and optical parts, thereby making augmented cinemaexperiences that incorporate AR displays commercially viable.

AR or VR tracking systems can also be implemented based at least in parton modular and detachable component devices. For example, in outdooruse, an inside-out tracking device such as a simultaneous location andmapping (SLAM) device can be attached to the wearable device. In indooruse, where external device tracking such as those based on laserscanning and device image capturing is available, the SLAM device may beremoved to significantly reduce the bulkiness and weight of the wearabledevice. Simple IR light sources or light retroreflectors can be disposedon the wearable device for external device tracking (or outside intracking) to acquire images of the light sources and retroflectors,determine locations of the light sources or retroflectors, and generate3D location and mapping data for the wearable device to use in AR or VR.

Modularity and flexible designs as provided by these techniques can makethese AR or VR system commercially and operationally viable for manycontent consumption environments not necessarily limited to augmentedentertainment experiences in cinemas. Rather than chasing after a singlepowerful system for all use cases or all content consumptionenvironments, wearable devices can be adapted to these use cases andcontent consumption environments in the field by end users or operatorsin a flexible manner. The end users or operators can decide whether orwhen they would like to acquire specific component devices forrespective use cases or respective content consumption environments.

As component devices can be attached and removed from a wearable devicethrough removably mountable positions, these component devices may bepositioned and/or oriented with locational error margins (or locationaltolerances) caused by slight movements or inaccuracies associated withthe removably mountable positions or the actual attachment operations.

At the beginning of and/or throughout a VR/AR/MR session, devicecalibration may be performed to generate non-factory calibrationoffsets. The non-factory calibration offsets may be used to replace orcombine with factory-set calibration offsets into overall calibrationoffsets to be used for actual device operations in the wearable device.

A process flow for device calibration may be carried out based on amaster-agent model or a peer-to-peer model. The role of a devicecalibration controller may be statically assigned to (or implemented by)a specific type of component device or dynamically assigned to aspecific component device, for example through device negotiationprotocol operations, through device election protocol operations,through device discovery protocol operations, by the time order indevice attachment times, by the numerical order in device-related IDs,and so forth.

Component devices of a wearable device may be calibrated independentlyor autonomously, for example in parallel or in any order. Additionally,optionally or alternatively, component devices may be calibrated in asequence.

For example, if component devices A and B both are present in thewearable device and if component device A depends on component device B(e.g., an imager depending on gaze tracker for viewing directions, agaze tracker depending on a SLAM device or an external device trackerfor coordinate values, etc.), then the component device that is dependedon, in the present example component device B, may be calibrated first,followed by the component device that depends on the other componentdevice. In some embodiments, the SLAM device or the external devicetracker may be calibrated before the gaze tracker. In a cinema in whichoutside-in device tracking is performed by an external device tracker,the external device tracker may be calibrated and/or registered beforeall wearable devices and (additionally, optionally or alternatively) maybe further calibrated and/or registered.

Component devices may be calibrated cooperatively together for examplein a peer-to-peer model. Available device calibration results or defaultcalibration parameters may be exchanged through the controller or frompeer to peer. Calibration offsets generated in device calibration may becached or stored in memory (e.g., registers, cache memory, RAM, ROM,flash memory, etc.).

In some example embodiments, mechanisms as described herein form a partof a media processing system, including but not limited to any of:cloud-based server, mobile device, virtual reality system, augmentedreality system, head up display device, helmet mounted display device,CAVE-type system, wall-sized display, video game device, display device,media player, media server, media production system, camera systems,home-based systems, communication devices, video processing system,video codec system, studio system, streaming server, cloud-based contentservice system, a handheld device, game machine, television, cinemadisplay, laptop computer, netbook computer, tablet computer, cellularradiotelephone, electronic book reader, point of sale terminal, desktopcomputer, computer workstation, computer server, computer kiosk, orvarious other kinds of terminals and media processing units.

Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the genericprinciples and features described herein will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to belimited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features described herein.

-   2. Washable and Non-Washable Components

A wearable device as described herein can be used in a wide variety ofdisplay applications related to AR, VR, MR, and so forth. Examplewearable devices include, but are not necessarily limited to only, oneor more of: an image projector, an AR display, a HoloLens display, aMagic Leap display, a Mixed Reality (MR) display, a tensor display, avolumetric display, a light field (LF) display, an Immy display, a Metadisplay, a relatively simple pair of

AR glasses, etc. Example wearable devices and device displays can befound in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/484,157 (AttorneyDocket Number: D17013USP1; 60175-0303), with an application title of“AUGMENTED 3D ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS” by Ajit Ninan and Neil Mammen,filed on Apr. 11, 2017, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

The wearable device can adopt a modular and detachable design in whichmultiple component devices involved in these applications can beincorporated into or removed from a mountable physical structure (e.g.,an eyeglass frame, etc.) to form the wearable device as a singlephysically unitary interconnected system. Such a wearable device can beused in some or all of a variety of content consumption environmentssuch as mass entertainment venues, home-environments, and so forth.

While being worn by a viewer (e.g., a human user, etc.) in a contentconsumption session, the wearable device may be relatively stationary orfixed with respect to positions and/or orientations of the viewer (e.g.,the viewer's head, etc.). Thus, when the viewer's head makes a motion,the wearable device co-moves with the viewer's head with no or littlerelative motion with the viewer's head.

A wearable device as described herein may be deployed with a combinationof specific component devices at a public venue, such as a cinema, amuseum, a classroom, an exhibition, a studio, etc., for use by multipleviewers at separate times. The combination of specific devices may beincorporated into the wearable device based on corresponding physicaldevice attachment (or fitting) mechanisms provided on the physicalstructure of the wearable device. In a mass entertainment environmentsuch as a cinema, the wearable device (e.g., cinema glasses mounted withspecific component devices, etc.) may be worn on a first viewer's headin a first content consumption session at a first time, a seconddifferent viewer's head in a second content consumption session at asecond different time, and so on.

The wearable device comprises two types of component devices in terms ofdevice washability. The first type of the component devices in thewearable device are component devices that make relatively significantphysical contact with the body (e.g., skin, eyebrow, hair, body fluidsuch as sweat and tear, etc.) of a viewer that wears the wearabledevice. The second type of the component devices in the wearable deviceare component devices that make no or relatively insignificant physicalcontact with the body of the viewer.

The component devices (e.g., the first type of component devices, etc.)that make significant physical contact with the viewer may be designedspecifically to be washable. These component devices may not compriseany sensitive components (e.g., active electric components, activeoptical components, etc.). Additionally, optionally or alternatively,these component devices may comprise sensitive components that areprotected in physical housings from being damaged in device washingprocesses.

As used herein, the term “washable” may refer to a type of componentdevice that is liquid-resistant and that can be washed with liquid suchas water, chemical agents such as industrial cleaning agents, devicewashing (e.g., manual, machine, etc.) processes, pressures and movementsexerted in device washing processes, and so forth. A device washingprocess as described herein may be used to comply with laws and/orguidelines of relevant industry associations (e.g., Digital CinemaInitiatives or DCI, etc.) to prevent communicable diseases such as pinkeye and/or to remove body fluids (or fluid residues) left on a componentdevice as described herein after a content consumption session.

A component device (e.g., the first component device type, etc.) thatmakes significant physical contact with a viewer may not comprise anyelectrically active components such as battery, electric powercomponents, etc. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, thecomponent device may contain electrically active components, but theseelectrically active components are specifically enclosed or hermeticallysealed in a device washing process so that the components are protectedfrom damage in the device washing process.

Similarly, a component device that makes significant physical contactwith the viewer may not comprise any optically active components such aslaser sources, active light emitters, etc. Additionally, optionally oralternatively, the component device may contain optically activecomponents, but these optically active components are specificallyenclosed or hermetically sealed in a device washing process so that thecomponents are protected from damage in the device washing process.

The component devices (e.g., the second type of component devices, etc.)that make no or insignificant physical contact with the viewer may bedesigned specifically to be not washable or only lightly washable. Thesecomponent devices may comprise sensitive components (e.g., activeelectric components, active optical components, etc.). Additionally,optionally or alternatively, these component devices may comprisesensitive components that would be damaged if exposed to or subject to adevice washing process that is used to wash a washable component device.

As used herein, the term “not washable” or “lightly washable” may referto a type of component device that may not be liquid-resistant, thatcannot be washed in relatively harsh device washing process, or that canonly be washed in less harsh washing such as with a physical wipe from acleaning cloth used by a viewer or a service provider.

A component device that makes no or insignificant physical contact withthe viewer may comprise electrically active components such as battery,electric power components, etc. Additionally, optionally oralternatively, such a component device may contain electrically activecomponents that may or may not be enclosed or hermetically sealed ifexposed to or subject to a device washing process that is used to wash awashable component device.

Similarly, a component device that makes no or insignificant physicalcontact with the viewer may comprise optically active components such aslaser sources, active light emitters, etc. Additionally, optionally oralternatively, such a component device may contain optically activecomponents that may or may not be enclosed or hermetically sealed ifexposed to or subject to a device washing process that is used to wash awashable component device.

Each of some or all of component devices that form a wearable device asdescribed herein may be modular and detachable from a mountable physicalstructure that is used to mount component devices for forming aphysically unitary interconnected system.

Techniques as described herein can be used to obviate any need formaking a single monolithic expensive device for each of multipledifferent types of content consumption environments. Instead of makingand using a single monolithic and expensive device that may be suitablefor many different types of content consumption environments and thatmay be under-engineered or over engineered for any specific contentconsumption environment, under the techniques as described herein,different combinations of specific component devices can be made by aviewer or operator (e.g., in the field, at runtime, right before orduring an AR/VR/MR session, etc.) to suite different content consumptionenvironment by adding/mounting or removing/detaching different componentdevices from the mountable physical structure depending on what is theactual content consumption environment (or actual content consumptionenvironment type). As used herein, the term “content consumptionenvironment” refers to a physical environment or an entertainment venuein which media content relating to AR, VR, MR, etc. can be consumed byway of a wearable device.

-   3. Mountable Physical Structure

FIG. 1 illustrates side and perspective views of an example mountablephysical structure 102. Mountable physical structure 102 serves as asupport member onto which one or more component device can be removablymounted to form a wearable device that is suitable for a particulardisplay application, for a particular content consumption environment,and so forth. Mountable physical structure 102 may be of a regular orirregular shape, a skeleton shape, an interconnected shape, a contiguousshape, a shape with one or more area voids or volume voids, a shape withphysical notches, physical key patterns, etc.

In some embodiments, mountable physical structure 102 may be of a shapethat is rigidly set while in a content consumption session in which awearable device formed with mountable physical structure 102 is used toconsume media content. In some embodiments, mountable physical structure102 may be of a shape that is (e.g., at least partly, etc.) foldable orotherwise deformable while not in such a content consumption session.

By way of example but not limitation, mountable physical structure 102represents an eyeglass frame that comprises a frame front 104, temples106, etc. Front frame 104 may comprise two spatial voids 108-1 and 108-2in which a right view optical stack and a left view optical stack may befit in permanently, or may be removably mounted. In some embodiments,spatial voids 108-1 and 108-2 are respectively permanently or removablyfitted with electrooptical stacks such as lenses and otherelectrooptical components. In some embodiments, spatial voids 108-1 and108-2 may represent additional removably mountable positions ofmountable physical structure 102.

Mountable physical structure 102 may comprise one or more removablymountable positions 110-1 through 110-8 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Theseremovably mountable positions may be distributed in various parts (e.g.,temples 106, etc.) of mountable physical structure not necessarilylimited to only front frame 104.

A removably mountable position refer to a specific portion or part ofmountable physical structure 102 used to mount (e.g., pop in, etc.) onor remove (e.g., pop out, etc.) from, mountable physical structure 102,a component device with an attaching member that is mechanically ornon-mechanically (e.g., magnetically, etc.) compatible with theremovably mountable position for component device mounting or removingoperations.

For example, the removably mountable position may, but is not limitedto, be a specifically shaped recessive or protrusive receptacle for(e.g., rigidly, securely, neatly, tightly, within a minimum error usedfor attachment and removal, etc.) mounting (e.g., fitting, attaching,etc.) one or more types of component devices. These component devicesmay have correspondingly shaped protrusive or recessive insertionmembers each of which matches the specifically shaped recessive orprotrusive receptacle of the removably mountable position. Additionally,optionally or alternatively, these component devices may have compatibleattaching and detaching members (e.g., clip-on mechanisms, etc.) thatare mechanically or non-mechanically (e.g., magnetically, etc.)compatible with the removably mountable position for component devicemounting or removing operations. Additionally, optionally oralternatively, when operating with vision applications such as AR, VR,MR applications, these component devices may be securely attached at theremovably mountable position with relatively high spatial precision(e.g., in terms of position and/or orientation, etc.) to mountablephysical structure 102, for example through one or more of lockingmechanisms, magnets, mating shapes, springs, and so forth.

Removably mountable positions as described herein may be shaped with orequipped with their respective key patterns (as formed or implementedwith specific physical shapes). For example, a specific key pattern of aremovably mountable position as described herein may accept onlyspecifically shaped insertion members of specific component devices formounting, but reject (e.g., all, etc.) other shaped insertion members ofother component devices.

Left-side component devices, not the right-side component devices, maybe allowed to insert into the left side of mountable physical structure102, through matching left-side specifically shaped insertion members ofthe left-side component devices and left-side specific key patterns ofleft-side mountable positions of mountable physical structure 102.

Conversely, right-side component devices, not the left-side componentdevices, may be allowed to insert into the right side of mountablephysical structure 102, through matching right-side specifically shapedinsertion members of the right-side component devices and right-sidespecific key patterns of right-side mountable positions of mountablephysical structure 102.

In some embodiments, mountable physical structure 102 itself without anymounted devices may comprise no electric components. In someembodiments, mountable physical structure 102 itself without any mounteddevices may comprise no active electric components, but may comprise, ormay be embedded with, passive electric components such as metallic(e.g., aluminum, gold, copper, metallic alloy, etc.) or non-metallic(e.g., thin film based, rare-earth-element based, graphene based,nanotube based, etc.) electrically conductive interconnects, for examplebetween or among some or all of removably mountable positions 110-1through 110-8.

In some embodiments, mountable physical structure 102 itself without anymounted devices may comprise no optical components. In some embodiments,mountable physical structure 102 itself without any mounted devices maycomprise no active optical components, but may comprise, or may beembedded with, passive optical components such as lenses, mirrors,waveguides, and so forth, for example for receiving, redirecting, orinjecting light rays from, to, or through one or more component devicesattached at one or more of removably mountable positions 110-1 through110-8.

In some embodiments, mountable physical structure 102 itself without anymounted devices may comprise one or more of active electric componentsor active optical components. Some or all of these active components maybe enclosed permanently (e.g., hermetically sealed, prevented fromcontact with washing liquid or chemical agent in device washingprocesses, etc.) in device washing processes and/or in contentconsumption sessions. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, some orall of these active components may be enclosed temporarily (e.g., adisposable or removable cover, a disposable or removable case, etc.), toprevent these components from contact with washing liquid or chemicalagent in device washing processes and/or from contact with hair, skin,body parts or bodily fluids of viewers in content consumption sessions.For example, a wash-sensitive component device may be placed in atemporary disposable cover, leaving only an attachment portion exposedto be inserted into mountable physical structure 102. Because of thetemporary disposable cover, a viewer may be prevented from makingsignificantly enough physical contact with the component device to incura relatively harsh device washing process to wash the component device.

-   4. Wearable Devices with Outside-In Tracking

FIG. 2A illustrates an example wearable device 122 that may be formed byone or more modular and detachable component devices removably mountedon a mountable physical structure (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1, etc.). In someembodiments, wearable device 122 comprises a right view optical stack124-1, a left view optical stack 124-2, a right view imager 126-1, aleft view imager 126-2, one or more light sources 134-1, 134-2, 134-3,etc.

Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in FIG. 2A may beimplemented by one or more mechanical components, one or moreelectrooptical components, one or more computing devices, modules,units, etc., in software, hardware, a combination of software andhardware, etc. Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in FIG.2A may be communicatively (e.g., wirelessly, inductively, in an ad hocnetwork, in a network formed by using one or more device sensing and/ordiscovery protocols, with wired connections, etc.) coupled with someother components/devices as depicted in FIG. 2A or with othercomponents/devices not depicted in FIG. 2A.

In some embodiments, a wearable device as described herein is worn ormounted on the head of a viewer 112. The wearable device (e.g., 122,etc.) may represent or include one or more of: an eyeglasses frame, aheadset, a wearable peripheral for mobile phones, a face shield, ahelmet, a strap attachment, a bracelet, a watch band, a headwear, etc.The eyeglass frame may be personalized to an individual viewer or may beof a generic size designed to be worn or mounted by a relatively largepopulation of viewers (e.g., full size, a size for kids, etc.). By wayof example but not limitation, an eyeglass frame is used to (e.g.,removably, irremovably, etc.) fit right view optical stack 124-1 andleft view optical stack 124-2 in front of the right eye 130-1 and theleft eye 130-2 of a viewer 112, respectively.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, the eyeglass frame is used to(e.g., removably, irremovably, etc.) attach or mount right view imager126-1 and left view imager 126-2, for example, on a top rim of theeyeglass frame. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, the eyeglassframe is used to (e.g., removably, irremovably, etc.) attach or mountSLAM device 128, for example, on a top bar of the eyeglass frame.

Right view optical stack 124-1 can be used by viewer 112 of wearabledevice 122 to view right view images rendered on a cinema display or anon-cinema display. Left view optical stack 124-2 can be used by viewer112 of wearable device 122 to view left view images rendered on thecinema or non-cinema display. Right view images as viewed by viewer 112through right view optical stack 124-1 and left view images as viewed byviewer 112 through left view optical stack 124-2 form stereoscopicimages.

Right view imager 126-1 can be used by viewer 112 to view right viewdisplay images rendered on a component device display virtually orphysically created by right and left view imagers 126-1 and 126-2. Leftview imager 126-2 can be used by viewer 112 to view left view devicedisplay images rendered on the component device display. Right viewdisplay images as viewed by viewer 112 through right view imager 126-1and left view display images as viewed by viewer 112 through left viewimager 126-2 form stereoscopic (component device) display images thatmay be complementary to the stereoscopic images as viewed by the sameviewer 112 through right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2.

In some embodiments, the component device display is not a physicaldisplay, but rather an image plane or a virtual display created by lightrays emitted by right view imager 126-1 and left view imager 126-2. Morespecifically, right view imager 126-1 emits right view light rays thatreach right eye 130-1 of viewer 112 to allow viewer 112 to visuallyperceive or view the right view display images as if the right viewdisplay images are displayed at the component device display. Likewise,left view imager 126-2 emits left view light rays that reach left eye130-2 of viewer 112 to allow viewer 112 to visually perceive or view theleft view display images as if the left view display images aredisplayed at the component device display.

In some embodiments, the component device display 116 may be located ata depth different from or the same as that of the cinema or non-cinemadisplay in reference to viewer 112. As used herein, the term “depth” mayrefer to a (e.g., front-view, etc.) spatial distance between a viewerand an image plane of a display (e.g., cinema or non-cinema display,device display, etc.).

In some embodiments, component device display 116 can display or projectdevice display images at a single image plane of a single distance or atmultiple image planes of multiple different distances (e.g., throughtime-division multiplexing, etc.) in front of the viewer. Thesedistances of the image planes can be fixed or auto tunable.

For example, right view imager 126-1 and left view imager 126-2 mayoperate with lens elements (e.g., with fixed focal lengths, included inright view optical stack 124-1 and left view optical stack 124-2, etc.)to project right view (component device) display images and left view(component device) display images from an image plane (or the componentdevice display) at a fixed depth to viewer 112.

In another non-limiting example, right view imager 126-1 and left viewimager 126-2 may operate with lens elements (e.g., with fixed focallengths, with variable focal lengths, included in right view opticalstack 124-1 and left view optical stack 124-2, etc.) to project theright and left view (component device) display images from an imageplane (or the component device display) at multiple fixed depths toviewer 112.

In some embodiments, a device image renderer that is operating inconjunction with, or that is implemented in, wearable device 122 or leftand right view imagers 126-1 and 126-2 attached herein can generate theright and left view display images as a set of time sequential or timesynchronous 3D images.

Example (component) cinema or non-cinema displays, device displays,image renders, and so forth, can be found in U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/414,901, with an application title of “EYEWEARDEVICES WITH FOCUS TUNABLE LENSES,” filed on Oct. 31, 2016; U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/484,157, with an application titleof “AUGMENTED 3D ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS,” filed on Apr. 11, 2017, theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as iffully set forth herein.

An electrooptical stack as described herein may comprise one or moreoptical and/or electrooptical component layers including but not limitedto a combination of one or more of:

light transmissive component layers, light reflective component layers,light filtering layers, light modulation layers, micro-prism layers,micro-lens layers, variable or fixed lenses, beam splitters, beamcombiners, light engines, switching elements (e.g., transistor-based,etc.) to control levels of light transmittance (or transmissivity) orlight reflectance (reflectivity), etc.

Right view optical stack 124-1 represents an electrooptical stack thatallows right view light rays—from the cinema or non-cinema display—usedto render the right view images on the cinema or non-cinema display toreach (or to be transmitted to) right eye 130-1 of viewer 112. Left viewoptical stack 124-2 represents an electrooptical stack that allows leftview light rays—from the cinema or non-cinema display—used to render theleft view images on the cinema or non-cinema display to reach (or to betransmitted to) left eye 130-2 of viewer 112. At runtime, right viewoptical stack 124-1 may be optically transparent to the right view lightrays while the right view cinema display images are being rendered onthe cinema or non-cinema display; and left view optical stack 124-2 maybe optically transparent to the left view light rays while the left viewimages are being rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display.

Techniques as described herein can be used to support rendering andviewing 3D images with a wide variety of right/left eye separationtechnologies including but not limited to those based on anaglyph,linear polarization, circular polarization, shutter glasses, spectralspatial separation, etc. Any of the foregoing right/left eye separationtechnologies may be used in left and right view optical stacks 124-1 and124-2 to allow light rays used for rendering the left view images andthe right view images to respectively reach right and left eyes 130-1and 130-2—or to respectively reach eye vision sweet spots (e.g., fovealvision) spatially separated by an interpupil distance 132—of viewer 112.

In some embodiments, right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2may implement anaglyph 3D techniques for viewing the right and left viewimages rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display. Right and left viewoptical stacks 124-1 and 124-2 provide right/left eye separation byfiltering the light (e.g., red light for rendering one image and cyanlight for rendering the other image, etc.) through two color filterssuch as a red filter and a cyan filter.

In some embodiments, right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2may implement linear polarization 3D techniques for viewing the rightand left view images rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display. Rightand left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2 provide right/left eyeseparation by filtering linearly polarized light (vertically polarizedlight for rendering one image and horizontally polarized light forrendering the other image) through two orthogonal linear polarizers suchas a vertical polarizer and a horizontal polarizer.

In some embodiments, right and left view optical stack 124-1 and 124-2may implement circular polarization 3D techniques for viewing the rightand left view images rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display. Rightand left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2 provide right/left eyeseparation by filtering circularly polarized light (right-handedlypolarized light for rendering one image and left-handedly polarizedlight for rendering the other image) through two orthogonal circularpolarizers such as a right-handed polarizer and a left-handed polarizer.

In some embodiments, right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2may implement shutter glasses 3D techniques for viewing the right andleft view images rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display. Right andleft view optical stack 124-1 and 124-2 provide right/left eyeseparation by right/left eye shuttering (a first image displaying timeinterval for rendering one image and a second image displaying timeinterval for rendering the other image) through synchronizingtime-multiplexed viewing of right and left eyes with time-multiplexedrendering of respective right and left images.

In some embodiments, right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2may implement spectral spatial separation 3D techniques for viewing theleft and right view images rendered on the cinema or non-cinema display.Right and left view optical stacks 124-1 and 124-2 provide right/lefteye separation by filtering the light (e.g., a first set of red, greenand blue light for rendering one image and a second set of red, greenand blue light for rendering the other image where the first set of red,green and blue light is spectrally separated from the second set of red,green and blue light, etc.) through two spectral light filters (e.g., afirst filter that passes the first set of red, green and blue light butrejects the second set of red, green and blue light and a second filterthat passes the second set of red, green and blue light but rejects thefirst set of red, green and blue light, etc.).

In various embodiments, right and left view imagers 126-1 and 126-2 mayuse same or different left/right eye separation technologies forrendering the right and left view (component device) images, as comparedwith those for rendering the right and left view images.

In an example, wearable device 122 may comprise spatially separatedright and left view imagers 126-1 and 126-2—for example located apartwith approximately the interpupil distance 132—to project the right andleft view (component device) display images to right and left eyes 130-1and 130-2, respectively. In another example, wearable device 122 maycomprise a central imager (e.g., mounted on a top bar of the eyeglassframe, etc.) to route or project the right and left view (componentdevice) display images to right and left eye 130-1 and 130-2,respectively.

Light sources 134-1 through 134-3 may be either removably or irremovablyattached with one or more (e.g., mechanically, etc.) rigid parts (e.g.,bridge, top bar, rim, etc.) of mountable physical structure 102. Whenviewer 112 is wearing wearable device 122, spatial positions of lightsources 134-1 through 134-3 are stationary relative to wearable device122 but may not be stationary relative to a 3D space in which viewer 112or wearable device 122 is located because of the viewer's body or headmovements.

A light source as described herein may have an attachment mechanism suchas an insert tab, a keyed mechanical part, etc. that fits into areceptacle on mountable physical structure 102. In some embodiments, theattachment mechanism can securely fit into the receptacle, and cannot beeasily or casually removed by a viewer (e.g., 112, etc.). In someembodiments, a light source as described herein may be permanentlyaffixed to physical structure 102.

In various embodiments, none, some or all of light sources 134-1 through134-3 may be light emitters (e.g., an LED light, an infrared lightemitter, etc.) that emit light rays to be captured into device trackingimages by a device tracker deployed in a physical environment in whichviewer 112 or wearable device 122 is located. Additionally, optionallyor alternatively, none, some or all of light sources 134-1 through 134-3may be light reflectors that emit light rays to be captured into thedevice tracking images by the device tracker.

For example, in some embodiments, all of light sources 134-1 through134-3 on wearable device 122 are light reflectors. The device trackermay comprise a laser scanner that emits a scanning laser beam (e.g.,with light wavelengths invisible to human visual perception, etc.) toscan light sources of wearable devices (e.g., 122, etc.) present in thephysical space. Light sources 134-1 through 134-3 on wearable device 122may be retroreflectors (e.g., reflect incoming light rays back to thesender or a specific direction, etc.), scattering reflectors, etc., thatreceive incoming laser light rays of the scanning laser beam from thelaser scanner and redirect/reflect these incoming light rays intoreflected light rays toward the laser scanner. In some embodiments,light reflectors 134-1 through 134-3 may comprise light conversionmaterials such as quantum dots, etc., that converts received laser lightrays into regenerated light rays. The reflected or regenerated lightrays from light source 134-1 through 134-3 may focus or (optionally oralternatively) scatter onto the laser scanner, one or more light sensorsoperating in conjunction with the laser scanner, one or more imagecapturing devices operating in conjunction with the laser scanner, etc.The reflected or regenerated light rays from light sources 134-1 through134-3 may be captured into device tracking images as described herein.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, one or more radio-frequency(RF) tracking ID signals, one or more light tracking ID signals, etc.,may be sent by a separate device (operating in conjunction with wearabledevice 122 installed at the seating space of the viewer of wearabledevice 122) and captured by one or more device ID sensors of the devicetracker for the purpose of determining device ID information related towearable device 122; the separate device may be stationary, removably orirremovably attached to the seat, etc.

In some embodiments, one of light sources 134-1 through 134-3 onwearable device 122 is selected or used as a light emitter while all theremaining light sources are light reflectors. By way of illustration butnot limitation, light source 134-1 may be selected as a light emitter,which may comprise one or more of: LED lights, laser light emitters,light emitters with light conversion materials, etc. The remaining lightsources (134-2 and 134-3) may be light reflectors, each of which maycomprise one or more of: retroreflectors, scattering reflectors, etc.Light reflector 134-1 emits light rays that focus or (optionally oralternatively) scatter onto one or more tracking image sensors in thedevice tracker. In the meantime, light reflectors 134-2 and 134-3receive incoming light rays from light source 134-1 and redirect/reflectthese incoming light rays into reflected light rays. In someembodiments, light reflectors 134-2 and 134-3 may comprise lightconversion materials such as quantum dots, etc., that converts receivedlaser light rays into regenerated light rays. The reflected/regeneratedlight rays from light source 134-2 and 134-3 may focus or(alternatively, optionally or alternatively) scatter onto the trackingimage sensors in the device tracker. The emitted light rays,reflected/regenerated light rays may be captured into device trackingimages as described herein.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, light rays from a lightemitter as described herein may be digitally encoded with device IDinformation for the wearable device (102); at least a portion ofdigitally encoded light rays from the light emitter or light reflectorsmay be captured by one or more device ID sensors in the one or moretracking sensor assemblies (e.g., 124, etc.).

In some embodiments, a light emitter in light sources 134-1 through134-3 of wearable device 122 may be electrically or opto-electricallycoupled to a light emission controller that can control the lightemitter to emit light rays that logically represent one or more deviceID signals encoded with device ID information and optionally otherinformation related to wearable device 122.

Example light sources, device tracking, and so forth, can be found inU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/484,131 (Attorney DocketNumber: D17011USP1; 60175-0301), with an application title of “PASSIVEMULTI-WEARABLE-DEVICES TRACKING” by Ajit Ninan and Neil Mammen, filed onApr. 11, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein.

Examples of device trackers as described herein may include but are notnecessarily limited to only, any of: external device trackers, internaldevice trackers, outside-in device trackers, inside-out device trackers,etc.

-   5. Wearable Devices with Inside-Out Tracking

FIG. 2B illustrates an example wearable device 122-1 that may be formedby one or more modular and detachable component devices removablymounted on a mountable physical structure (e.g., 102 of FIG. 1, etc.).In some embodiments, wearable device 122-1 comprises a right viewoptical stack 124-3, a left view optical stack 124-4, a right viewimager 126-1, a left view imager 126-2, a simultaneous location andmapping (SLAM) device 128, etc.

Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in FIG. 2B may beimplemented by one or more mechanical components, one or moreelectrooptical components, one or more computing devices, modules,units, etc., in software, hardware, a combination of software andhardware, etc. Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in FIG.2B may be communicatively (e.g., wirelessly, inductively, in an ad hocnetwork, in a network formed by using one or more device sensing and/ordiscovery protocols, with wired connections, etc.) coupled with someother components/devices as depicted in FIG. 2B or with othercomponents/devices not depicted in FIG. 2B.

By way of example but not limitation, mountable physical structure 102may be an eyeglass frame used to (e.g., removably, irremovably, etc.)fit right view optical stack 124-3 and left view optical stack 124-4 infront of the right eye 130-1 and the left eye 130-2 of a viewer 112,respectively.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, the eyeglass frame is used to(e.g., removably, irremovably, etc.) attach or mount right view imager126-1 and left view imager 126-2, for example, on a top rim of theeyeglass frame. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, the eyeglassframe is used to (e.g., removably, irremovably, etc.) attach or mountSLAM device 128, for example, on a top bar of the eyeglass frame.

Right view optical stack 124-3 and left view optical stack 124-4 can beused by viewer 112 of wearable device 122 to view the physicalenvironment in which viewer 112 or wearable device 122-1 is located.

Right view imager 126-1 can be used by viewer 112 to view right viewdisplay images rendered on a component device display virtually orphysically created by right and left view imagers 126-1 and 126-2. Leftview imager 126-2 can be used by viewer 112 to view left view devicedisplay images rendered on the component device display. Right viewdisplay images as viewed by viewer 112 through right view imager 126-1and left view display images as viewed by viewer 112 through left viewimager 126-2 form stereoscopic (component device) display images thatmay depict objects and provide complementary information that isspatially registered or depicted at specific physical locations of thephysical space as viewed by the same viewer 112 through right and leftview optical stacks 124-3 and 124-4.

Right view imager 126-1 and left view imager 126-2 may operate with lenselements (e.g., with fixed focal lengths, included in right view opticalstack 124-3 and left view optical stack 124-4, etc.) to project rightand left view (component device) display images from an image plane (orthe component device display) at a fixed depth to viewer 112.

In another non-limiting example, right view imager 126-1 and left viewimager 126-2 may operate with lens elements (e.g., with fixed focallengths, with variable focal lengths, included in right view opticalstack 124-3 and left view optical stack 124-4, etc.) to project theright and left view (component device) display images from an imageplane (or the component device display) at multiple fixed depths toviewer 112.

Right and left view optical stacks 124-3 and 124-4 representelectrooptical stacks that are optically transparent to light emanatedfrom physical objects, persons, and so forth, present in the physicalspace.

SLAM device 128 may be used to construct or update a 3D map of aphysical environment (e.g., a content consumption environment, a cinema,a home entertainment room, a venue, an amusement park, a touristattraction, a museum, etc.) in which viewer 112 or wearable device 122is located. SLAM device may comprise or operate with one or more imagesensors (e.g., camera elements, etc.), locational and/or orientationsensors (e.g., GPS units, motion sensors, etc.), communicationdevices/interfaces (e.g., wirelessly, wired connection based, Wi-Fi,infrared, Bluetooth, laser based, LED based, etc.), and so forth. Theimage sensors may be used by SLAM device 128 to acquire images of thephysical environment. The locational and/or orientation sensors may beused by SLAM device 128 to collect sensor data about the location and/ororientation at any given time point of viewer 112 or wearable device122. The communication devices/interfaces may be used by SLAM device 128to communicate with other component devices of wearable device 122, andcommunicate with cloud-based or premise-based servers (e.g., deviceimage renderer(s) in the content consumption environment, mediastreaming server(s), mapping data server(s), server(s) performing SLAMalgorithms or analyses, etc.) and/or computing systems that are externalor remote to wearable device 122. In some embodiments, SLAM device 128performs SLAM algorithms or analyses based on some or all of the imagesof the physical environment, the sensor data about the location and/ororientation, and map information cached in local data storage orreceived from external servers, and so forth, to simultaneously obtainthe location (which may include both the position and the orientation)of viewer 112 or wearable device 122, and the map (e.g., 2D map, 3D map,etc.) of the physical environment within a strict time budget (e.g.,less than one millisecond, one millisecond, five milliseconds, etc.)measured from the time the images and the sensor data were acquired.Additionally, optionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, a serverremoted to SLAM device 128 may operate with SLAM device 128 to receivesome or all of the images and/or sensor data and perform some or all ofthe SLAM algorithms or analyses.

-   6. Wearable Devices with Eye Tracking

FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D illustrate example wearable devices 122-2 and 122-3that may be formed by one or more modular and detachable componentdevices removably mounted on a mountable physical structure (e.g., 102of FIG. 1, etc.).

As illustrated in FIG. 2C, wearable device 122-2 comprises componentdevices such as a right view optical stack 124-1, a left view opticalstack 124-2, a right view imager 126-1, a left view imager 126-2, one ormore light sources 134-1, 134-2, 134-3, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 2A;wearable device 122-2 further comprises a right gaze (or eye) tracker136-1 and a left gaze (or eye) tracker 136-2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2D, wearable device 122-3 comprises a right viewoptical stack 124-3, a left view optical stack 124-4, a right viewimager 126-1, a left view imager 126-2, a simultaneous location andmapping (SLAM) device 128, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 2B; wearabledevice 122-4 further comprises right gaze tracker 136-1 and left gazetracker 136-2.

Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in each of FIG. 2C andFIG. 2D may be implemented by one or more mechanical components, one ormore electrooptical components, one or more computing devices, modules,units, etc., in software, hardware, a combination of software andhardware, etc. Some or all of the components/devices as depicted in eachof FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D may be communicatively (e.g., wirelessly,inductively, in an ad hoc network, in a network formed by using one ormore device sensing and/or discovery protocols, with wired connections,etc.) coupled with some other components/devices as depicted in each ofFIG. 2C and FIG. 2D or with other components/devices not depicted ineach of FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D.

A gaze (or eye) tracker such as 136-1 or 136-2 of FIG. 2C and FIG. 2Drepresents a component device that is operated to track a gaze (orviewing) direction of an eye of viewer 112 at any given time in realtime or in near real time. To track the movement and/or the gazedirection of the eye, the gaze tracker may implement one or more of:embedded mirror methods, embedded magnetic field sensor methods,video-oculography methods, electrooculogram methods, infrared ornear-infrared light-based pupil tracking methods, etc. The gaze devicemay comprise or operate with one or more image or non-image sensors,sensor data analyzers, communication devices/interfaces (e.g.,wirelessly, wired connection based, Wi-Fi, infrared, Bluetooth, laserbased, LED based, etc.), and so forth. The image and/or non-imagesensors may be used by the eye tracker to acquire images and/ornon-image sensor data of the eye or some or all parts of the eye such asiris, pupil, cornea, retinal blood vessels, and so forth. The sensordata analyzer may be used by the eye tracker to analyze the imagesand/or non-image sensor data to determine the gaze (or viewing)direction of the eye, for example within a strict time budget (e.g.,less than one millisecond, one millisecond, five milliseconds, etc.)measured from the time the images and/or the sensor data were acquired.The communication devices/interfaces may be used by the gaze tracker tocommunicate with other component devices (including but not limited to acounterpart gaze tracker that is tracking a gaze or viewing direction ofthe other eye of viewer 112) of a wearable device (e.g., 122-2, 122-3,etc.), and communicate with cloud-based or premise-based servers (e.g.,device image renderer(s) in the content consumption environment, mediastreaming server(s), etc.) and/or computing systems that are external orremote to the wearable device (e.g., 122-2, 122-3, etc.). Additionally,optionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, a server remoted tothe gaze tracker may operate with the gaze tracker to receive some orall of the images and/or sensor data and to perform some or all of thegaze tracking algorithms or analyses.

-   7. Additional Examples

In some embodiments, a device image renderer (not shown) as describedherein may be implemented a device separate from or may be implementedas a part of left and right view imagers 126-1 and 126-2. The deviceimage renderer is communicatively coupled to some or all componentdevices of a wearable device (e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2, etc.) asdescribed herein; receives positional and directional (or orientation)data of the wearable device (e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2, etc.) astracked/monitored by a device tracker or by a SLAM device with thewearable device (e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2, etc.); generates one or more(component device) display images for the wearable device (e.g., 122,122-1, 122-2, etc.), based at least in part on the positional anddirectional data of the wearable device (e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2, etc.);causes the display images to be rendered with left and right viewimagers 126-1 and 126-2 of the wearable device (e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2,etc.) on a component device display; etc. The device image renderer cancommunicate control information, status information, positional anddirectional data, image data such as the display images, metadata, etc.,with left and right view imagers 126-1 and 126-2 of the wearable device(e.g., 122, 122-1, 122-2, etc.) and/or other local or remote devicesover one or more data connections. Example data connections may include,but are not limited, wireless data connections, wired data connections,radio-frequency based data connections, cellular data connections, Wi-Fidata connections, infrared-based data connections, data connections overHDMI cable, data connections over optical cable, data connections overHigh-Speed Serial Interface (HSSI), High-Definition Serial DigitalInterface (HD-SDI), 12G-SDI, USB cable, and the like.

Example (device) image renderers, cinema or non-cinema image rendering,(component device) display image rendering, and so forth, can be foundin U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/484,121 (Attorney DocketNumber: D16152BUSP1; 60175-0298), with an application title of “LAYEREDAUGMENTED ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES” by Ajit Ninan, Neil Mammen andTyrome Brown, filed on Apr. 11, 2017; U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/484,148 (Attorney Docket Number: D17012USP1;60175-0302), with an application title of “ADAPTING VIDEO IMAGES FORWEARABLE DEVICES” by Ajit Ninan and Neil Mammen, filed on Apr. 11, 2017,the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as iffully set forth herein.

FIG. 2E illustrates a wearable device 122-4 in which a component deviceis attached to a removably mountable position on another componentdevice of wearable device 122-4.

As illustrated, wearable device 122-4 comprises an imager 126 that ismounted on a first removably mountable position of wearable device122-4, for example located at the top bar of an eyeglass frame that isused as a mountable physical structure in wearable device 122-4.

In some embodiments, a component device as described herein may comprisezero, one or more removably mountable positions. For example, imager 126may have been made with a second removably mountable position. A SLAMdevice (e.g., 128, etc.) may be mounted onto the second removablymountable position of imager 126 to become a part of wearable device122-4.

FIG. 2F illustrates a wearable device in which a component device issealed into mountable physical structure 102 of the wearable device. Asillustrated, temples 106 of an eyeglass frame may be embedded withcomponent devices. The Component devices may, but is not necessarilylimited to only, built-in speakers 138. Built-in speakers 138 may besealed (e.g., completely, hermetically, etc.) by sealing parts 140located in the temples of the eyeglass frame. Built-in speakers 138 maybe protected by sealing parts 140 from physical contact with liquids orchemical agents while the eyeglass including built-in speakers 138 aresubject to device washing processes.

In some embodiments, sealing part 140 may be made of sound transmittingmaterials 142, such as a rigid material capable of transmitting throughacoustic sound in some or all of the entire human audible soundfrequencies. The acoustic sound transmitted through sound transmittingmaterials 142 of sealing parts 140 can be further propagated to aviewer's ears through the head bone structure (which is physical contactwith sound transmitting materials 142) of the viewer that wears thewearable device.

Thus, in some embodiments, one or more component devices that are a partof a wearable device may be irremovably (or permanently) incorporated asa part of mountable physical structure as described herein. Componentdevices that are irremovably incorporated may be built-in speakers, gazetrackers, optical stacks, imagers, SLAM devices, etc.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, a part of a component devicemay be irremovably incorporated into the mountable physical structurebut the remainder of the component device may be removably mountable tothe mountable physical structure directly or indirectly. For example,light waveguides of an imager may be used to receive light raysgenerated from a light engine of the imager. The light waveguides of theimager may be embedded with the unitary physical structure, whereasother parts of the imager including but not limited to the light enginemay be incorporated into a separate removable mountable componentdevice.

Removably mountable positions as described herein may incorporate otherfunctions in addition to mechanical functions of being removablymountable to component devices to be incorporated into wearable devices.In some embodiments, a removably mountable position may incorporateelectrical functions (e.g., electrical interfaces, etc.) such as a dataconnector, etc. For example, once a component device is mounted at theremovably mountable position, wired data connections may be effectuatedthrough the data connector between the component device and othercomponent devices. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, theremovably mountable position may also incorporate optical functions(e.g., optical interfaces, etc.) such as an optical connector, etc. Forexample, once a component device is mounted at the removably mountableposition, light may be received and/or transmitted through the opticalconnector between the component device and other component devices.

Under techniques as described herein, a wearable device can berelatively efficiently formed by an end user (e.g., a viewer at acinema, a viewer at a home entertainment room, a viewer walking in anyphysical environment, etc.) by adding or removing modular and detachablecomponent devices to the wearable device or a mountable physicalstructure therein.

One or more component devices—such as one or more of: imagers, SLAMdevices, gaze trackers, optical stacks specially configured for outdooruse, optical stacks specially configured to indoor use, optical stacksspecially configured for cinema use, optical stacks configured formultiple use (in multiple different physical environments), infrared ornon-infrared light sources for device tracking, RF component devices,other electronic parts, and so forth—can be securely (e.g., fittingly,with relatively high spatial precision, etc.), directly or indirectlyattached to a mountable physical structure of the wearable device by wayof removably mountable positions on the mountable physical structure andon the component devices that have already been assembled by the viewerinto the wearable device.

Removably mounted component devices on the wearable device can beremoved from the wearable device by the viewer, if the wearable devicedoes not need these component devices for operating in an intendedphysical environment in which the wearable device is to be used.

As a result, combinations of specific modular and detachable componentdevices can be respectively assembled and used in different specificintended physical environments. Assembling these component devices intowearable devices can be easily performed by the viewer within relativelyshort time intervals (e.g., less than one minute, a minute or so, a fewminutes, etc.) to form the respectively configured wearable devicessuitable for different specific intended physical environments.

In some physical environments such as in a cinema, an indoor place, ahome entertainment setting, and so forth, outside-in device tracking canbe performed by an external device tracker that tracks images formed bylight sources disposed with or on wearable devices. In theseenvironments, relatively bulky SLAM devices that perform inside-outdevice tracking (as opposed to outside-in device tracking performed withthe external device tracker) may be removed/detached, or otherwise madeabsent, on these wearable devices. As SLAM devices are removed orotherwise absent from the wearable devices in these environments, SLAMdevices that are typically bulky and electro-optically complex are notsubject to (e.g., rigorous, etc.)

device washing processes, liquids or chemical agents. Furthermore, asthe wearable devices are tracked by outside-in tracking in theseenvironments, the wearable devices do not need to implement inside-outdevice tracking and related complex functionality. The wearable devicescan incorporate relatively simple components and take up relativelysmall or less bulky form factors with these simple components, making iteasy to handle, assemble, detach, reassemble and wash the wearabledevices by viewers or cinema operators that supplying at least parts ofthe wearable devices to the viewers.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, the component devicesremaining on the wearable devices may be attached to the wearabledevices in a way that the component devices (e.g., those with activeoptical and/or electric components not hermetically sealed, etc.) thatare more sensitive to device washing processes are positioned/orientedto have no or minimal contact with hair, skin or fluid of viewers, whilethe component devices (e.g., those with no optical and/or electriccomponents, with no active optical and/or electric components, or withactive optical and/or electric components that are hermetically sealed,etc.) that are not sensitive to device washing processes may bepositioned/oriented to have physical contact with viewers to arelatively high degree or extent.

Consider a cinema operator that provides imagers that are shared byviewers at a cinema at different viewing times. These imagers maycomprise sensitive electric and/or optic components (e.g., activeelectric components, active optical components, etc.). Laws and industryguidelines may specify that any devices that have relatively intimatephysical contact with hair, skin and fluid of viewers are subject torelatively harsh device washing processes. Each of the imagers shared bymultiple viewers may be modularized into a single physical housing andremovably attached to a mountable physical structure of one of thewearable devices. The imagers may be positioned/oriented to have no orminimal contact with hair, skin or fluid of viewers to comply with thelaws and the industry guidelines. While the parts of the wearabledevices that have more intimate physical contact with the viewers aresubject to the device washing processes, the imagers may be subject tono or only relatively light washing (e.g., a wipe by a viewer with a wetdisposable cloth, etc.), without violating the laws and/or industryguidelines.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, in some embodiments,personally owned imagers that are used for non-cinema physicalenvironment by viewers can be brought in by the viewers to a devicesharing environment such as a cinema for accessing augmented 3D content.

While operating in content consumption environments such as cinemas inwhich external device trackers are available for tracking wearabledevices of the viewers, the external device trackers, rather than SLAMdevices which may be absent from the wearable devices, can interoperatewith the imagers and/or device image renderers to render images thatspatially correctly registered to objects or locations in physical orvirtual scenes perceived by the viewers through separate optical stacks(e.g., 124-1 and 124-2, etc.).

While operating in other physical environments in which external devicetrackers are not available for tracking wearable devices of the viewers,SLAM devices attached to the wearable devices can interoperate with theimagers to render images that spatially correctly registered to objectsor locations in physical or virtual scenes perceived by the viewersthrough separate optical stacks (e.g., 124-3 and 124-4, etc.).

An imager may implement the same imaging engine to communicate with aSLAM device that performs the inside-out tracking or with an externaldevice tracker that performs outside-in tracking. Device tracking data,even some other data generated based at least in part on the devicetracking data, may be streamed to the imager from external devicetracker(s) or SLAM device(s) depending on whether the external devicetracker(s) or SLAM device(s) are present for performing device tracking.

It should be noted that, in various embodiments, external or outside-indevice tracking may be used in other physical environments in additionto or in place of cinemas. For example, a home entertainment setting mayimplement external or outside-in device tracking and provide/streamdevice tracking data to wearable device(s) present in the homeentertainment setting, or imagers and/or other component devicesthereof. Hence, techniques as described herein can be used to access andconsume augmented content such as augmented 3D content in a variety ofphysical environments.

-   8. Device Calibration

As component devices can be attached and removed from a wearable devicethrough removably mountable positions on a mountable physical structureand/or on component devices already attached, these component devicesmay be positioned and/or oriented with locational error margins (orlocational tolerances) relative to a spatial coordinate system that isstationary to the wearable device. For these component devices to beable to operate with relatively high spatial precision (e.g., in termsof position and/or orientation, etc.), calibration operations may beused to determine calibration offsets needed to compensate for theseerrors.

For example, an imager may be used in a wearable device as describedherein to render (component device) display images that are superposed(or superimposed) with cinema or non-cinema images viewed through anoptical stack separate from the imager. Depicted objects, depictedpersons, and so forth, in the display images should be spatiallyaccurately located or registered at correspond spatial positions and/ororientations in the cinema or non-cinema images, in order to provide aviewer of the wearable device with a relatively high-quality userexperience. For example, an apple depicted in the display images shouldbe spatially accurately (e.g., in terms of size, depth, geometric shape,etc.) located or registered at a spatial position and/or orientationsuch as corresponding to a spatial position and/or orientation of atable depicted in the cinema or non-cinema images.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, in some content consumptionscenarios, the imager may be used to render the display images that aresuperposed (or superimposed) with physical objects, persons, and soforth, in a physical environment, viewed through an optical stackseparate from the imager. Depicted objects, depicted persons, and soforth, in the display images should be spatially accurately located orregistered at correspond spatial positions and/or orientations in thephysical environment. For example, an apple depicted in the displayimages should be spatially accurately (e.g., in terms of size, depth,geometric shape, etc.) located or registered at a spatial positionand/or orientation such as corresponding to a spatial position and/ororientation of a table in the physical environment.

An imager as described herein may be calibrated using one or more in avariety of AR display device calibration methods. For example, testimages (or synthetic images) may be rendered by the imager in acalibration operation or dynamically (e.g., during a VR/AR/MR session,etc.) to determine or measure calibration offsets (e.g., in terms of thenumber of pixels to be shifted horizontally and/or vertically, anangular degree to be rotated, fractional pixel shifts, etc.) that areneeded to spatially accurately depict objects, persons, and so forth, indisplay images. Additionally, optionally or alternatively, locations orobjects (e.g., physical objects, depicted objects, physical fiducialmarks, fiducial marks depicted at know locations of a display screen,test image patterns, etc.) that have preset (or known) spatial locationsand/or orientations in a physical environment may be used to calibrateand register the imager in the physical environment. The results ofcalibration and registration may be used to generate the calibrationoffsets for the imager to compensate any errors in attaching the imagerto the wearable device.

Gaze (or eye) trackers as described herein may be calibrated using oneor more in a variety of gaze tracker calibration methods. For example,in a cinema, visual stimuli with preset spatial locations may be used toattract a viewer for viewing, while images or sensor data of theviewer's eyes and/or eye movements may be generated and analyzed. Theresults of calibration may be used to generate calibration offsets foreach of the gaze trackers to compensate any errors in attaching the gazetracker to the wearable device.

A SLAM device as described herein may be calibrated using one or more ina variety of SLAM device calibration methods. For example, in a cinema,spatial locations with preset coordinate values in a coordinate systemof a physical environment may be used by the SLAM device to generatelocational sensor data, determine/estimate coordinate values of thespatial locations, and compare the estimated coordinate values with thepreset coordinate values. The results of calibration or comparison maybe used to generate calibration offsets for the SLAM device tocompensate any errors in attaching the SLAM device to the wearabledevice.

Component devices of the same type may have variations in spatialaccuracies that are generated in manufacturing processes. In someembodiments, factory-set calibration offsets may be generated by devicecalibration of a component device that are performed at factory. Thefactory-set calibration offsets may be stored with the component deviceor at a server. The component device may be removably mounted into awearable device for an VR/AR/MR session in a content consumptionenvironment. Because of tolerance and slight movements in attaching thecomponent to a corresponding removably mountable point on the wearabledevice, the factory-set calibration offsets may be invalidated. At thebeginning of and/or throughout the VR/AR/MR session, spatial devicecalibration may be performed to generate non-factory calibrationoffsets. The non-factory calibration offsets may be used to replace orcombine with the factory-set calibration offsets into effectivecalibration offsets to be used for actual device operations in thewearable device. For example, as an imager is attached into the wearabledevice, positional and/or orientation errors may be introduced in lightprojection or in a light waveguide to cause pixel shifted or rotatedfrom correct locations. Due to the positional and/or orientation errors,the imager may inject or direct light intended for a micro-optical fiber(in the light waveguide) corresponding to a specific pixel location to adifferent micro-optical fiber (in the light waveguide) corresponding toa different pixel location. The effective calibration offsets may beused to correct these positional and/or orientation errors and enablethe imager to display images with depicted objects registered at correctspatial locations.

In some embodiments, some or all of component devices of a wearabledevice as described herein may perform their respective spatial devicecalibration operations independently and autonomously. For example, eachof these component devices may perform its respective spatial devicecalibration operations independently and autonomously without any needto exchange state or information related to device calibrationoperations with other component devices.

In some embodiments, some or all of component devices of a wearabledevice as described herein may perform their respective spatial devicecalibration operations jointly and cooperatively. These componentdevices may exchange state or information related to device calibrationoperations with other component devices. In a non-limiting example, aSLAM device may pass coordinate values of a physical object in aphysical environment to other component devices such as gaze trackersfor the gaze trackers to generate calibration offsets to be used indetermining or estimating viewing directions of eyes of a viewer. Inanother non-limiting example, an imager and a gaze tracker maysynchronize their respective calibration offsets in a way that a viewingdirection of an eye of the viewer as determined by the gaze tracker canbe efficiently and accurately mapped to a specific location such as apixel position on a device display associated with the imager.

In some embodiments, some or all of the component devices that form thewearable device may be attached to a mountable physical structure in anyorder by a viewer or an operator.

Each of some or all of the component devices may comprise its respectiveprocessing engine that supports some or all of spatial devicecalibration operations as described herein. The respective processingengine of the component device may be configured to detect whether thecomponent device is currently (e.g., securely, operationally, etc.)attached the wearable device.

In cases where the component device implements a device calibrationcontroller, in response to detecting that the component device itself issecurely attached into the wearable device, the component device, or thedevice calibration controller therein, may identify types of some or allother component devices currently (e.g., securely, operationally, etc.)attached the wearable device and select a method for calibrating and/orregistering the attached component devices of the wearable device.

In cases where the component device does not implement a devicecalibration controller, in response to detecting that the componentdevice is securely attached into the wearable device, the componentdevice, or the processing engine therein, may send out a deviceattachment signal to some or all of the other component devices that arecurrently attached to the wearable device. The device attachment signalmay be sent through wired data connections (e.g., a data bus, aninterconnect, a data connection cross bar, etc.), or through wirelessdata connections. The device attachment signal may send periodically ona linear or logarithmic time scale until a component device that isassigned to be the device calibration controller responds to the deviceattachment signal.

A number of methods may be available for selection by the wearabledevice for calibrating and/or registering the attached component devicesof the wearable device.

One or more communication mechanisms used in component devicecalibrations and/or registrations can also be used in actual operations(for consuming VR/AR/MR content). For example, viewing directions asdetermined by gaze trackers can be passed through the communicationmechanisms to imagers. In some embodiments, the imagers may render imageportions or depicted objects, to which a viewer is currently directingthe view directions, with relatively high acuity. The viewing directionsmay also be provided to a SLAM device or an external device tracker togenerate 3D mapping information with relatively high resolutions forspatial locations corresponding to the viewing directions. The 3Dmapping information may be provided to the imager. Based at least inpart on the 3D map information, the imager may spatially accuratelyrender and register depicted objects in component device display imagesat correct spatial locations as if the depicted objects is a naturalpart (e.g., a depicted apple as if it were on a physical table withcorrect size, direction, geometry, etc.) of a physical environment asrepresented by the 3D mapping information.

Offsets generated in device calibration may be cached or stored inmemory (e.g., registers, cache memory, RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc.)

FIG. 3A illustrates an example process flow for device calibration ofcomponent devices in a wearable device.

A process flow as described herein may be carried out based on amaster-agent model. The wearable device may comprise a devicecalibration controller (implemented by software, hardware, or acombination of software and hardware) causes the performance of some orall of the process flow. The device calibration controller may beimplemented with a single component device (e.g., a master componentdevice, etc.) such as an imager, a gaze tracker, a SLAM device, and soforth. Other component devices such as agent component devices mayimplement a device calibration agent (implemented by software, hardware,or a combination of software and hardware) that communicates andoperates with the device calibration controller in the master componentdevice to carry out device calibration operations in a cooperativelyand/or semantically correct manner. In some embodiments, the role of thedevice calibration controller may be statically assigned to a specifictype of component device. For example, an imager may be preconfiguredwith the device calibration controller. In some embodiments, the devicecalibration controller may be dynamically assigned to a specificcomponent device, for example through device negotiation protocoloperations, through device election protocol operations, through devicediscovery protocol operations, by the time order in device attachmenttimes, by the numerical order in device-related IDs, etc.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, a process flow as describedherein may be carried out based on a peer-to-peer model. The wearabledevice may implement a distributed device calibration controller withsome or all of the component devices of the wearable devices. Thecomponent devices communicate and operate with one another to carry outdevice calibration operations of the component devices in acooperatively and/or semantically correct manner. As used herein, theterm “a device calibration controller” may refer to a device calibrationcontroller that is implemented by a single component device or by agroup of component devices collectively.

In block 202, the wearable device, or the device calibration controllertherein, discovers component devices that are removably mounted to formthe wearable device, for example through a device discovery protocolsupported by the component devices.

In block 204, the wearable device identifies the component devices thatare to be calibrated. In some embodiments, a component device that is tobe calibrated may set a calibration indicator such as a data fieldvalue, a specific semaphore, a specific data flag, and so forth, toindicate that the component device is a component device to becalibrated. The calibration indicator may be made accessible to thedevice calibration controller.

For example, as the component device is inserted into the wearabledevice, the component device, or a processing engine therein, may entera device initialization state in which the component device sets thecalibration indicator to indicate a need for calibrating the (e.g., justinserted, etc.) wearable device. In response to receiving thecalibration indicator, the device calibration controller identifies thatthe component device is one of one or more component devices of thewearable device that are to be calibrated.

In block 206, the wearable device determines an order for calibratingthese component devices, and performs calibrations of the componentdevices based on the determined order.

In some embodiments, each of some or all of the component devices thatare to be calibrated may be calibrated independently or autonomously,for example in parallel or in any order. In some embodiments, some orall of these component devices may be calibrated in a sequence. Forexample, if component devices A and B both are present in the wearabledevice and if component device A depends on component device B (e.g., animager depending on gaze tracker for viewing directions, a gaze trackerdepending on a SLAM device or an external device tracker for coordinatevalues, etc.), then the component device that is depended on, in thepresent example component device B, may be calibrated first, followed bythe component device that depends on the other component device. Forinstance, in some embodiments, the SLAM device or the external devicetracker may be calibrated before the gaze tracker. In a cinema in whichdevice tracking is performed by an external device tracker, the externaldevice tracker may be calibrated before all wearable devices and(additionally, optionally or alternatively) may be further calibrated.

Additionally, optionally or alternatively, some or all of the componentdevices that are to be calibrated may be calibrated cooperativelytogether for example in a peer-to-peer model. Available devicecalibration results or default calibration parameters may be exchangedthrough the controller or from peer to peer.

In block 208, the wearable device, or the device calibration controllertherein, receives and/or extracts zero, one or more calibration-relatedparameters for sharing among some or all of the component devices orother devices operating in conjunction with the wearable device.

In an example, an image renderer may be implemented by the wearabledevice or by an external device outside the wearable device. The imagerenderer may receive calibration offsets of an imager of the wearabledevice and/or calibration related parameters, generate (componentdevice) display images, and transforms (e.g., shifts, rotates, scales,etc.) the display images based at least in part on the calibrationoffsets and/or calibration related parameters. The transformed displayimages may be provided to the imager for rendering.

In another example, the device calibration controller of the wearabledevice may receive calibration related parameters such as calibrationoffsets extracted from a SLAM device or an external device tracker.While an imager or another component device receives coordinate valuesfrom the SLAM device or the external device in device calibration or innormal operations, these calibration related parameters or calibrationoffsets may be used to adjust the received coordinate values tocalibrated coordinate values.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example process flow for device calibration ofcomponent devices in a wearable device. A process flow as describedherein may be carried out based on a master-agent model or based on apeer-to-peer model.

In block 222, the wearable device detects that a component device isattached to the wearable device. The detection may be made by a systemconfiguration/reconfiguration controller of the wearable device, by adevice calibration controller of the wearable device, etc.

In block 224, the wearable device identifies zero, one or morecalibration related parameters from other already attached componentdevices of the wearable device that are already calibrated. This may bedetermined at least in part based on a type of the component device tobe calibrated. Any identified calibration related parameters that areneeded by the component device may be extracted from the other alreadyattached component devices and passed to the component devices to becalibrated.

In block 226, the wearable device causes the component device to becalibrated.

In block 228, the wearable device identifies zero, one or morecalibration-related parameters for sharing from the calibrated componentdevice, extracts these calibration-related parameters from thecalibrated component devices, and shares these parameters with othercomponent devices of the wearable devices.

-   9. Example Process Flows

FIG. 4 illustrates an example process flow according to an exampleembodiment of the present invention. In some example embodiments, one ormore computing devices or components may perform at least some of thisprocess flow. In block 402, one or more component devices caused to beremovably mounted into a mountable physical structure to form a wearabledevice to be used in a specific type of content consumption environment.The one or more component devices are mounted into one or more removablymountable positions of the mountable physical structure with one or moreactual locational errors within one or more locational error margins.

In block 404, the one or more component devices are calibrated togenerate calibration offsets to compensate for the one or more actuallocational errors within the one or more locational error margins.

In block 406, media content is rendered, based at least in part on thecalibration offsets, to a viewer of the wearable device.

In an embodiment, a master-agent model is used to calibrate the one ormore component devices.

In an embodiment, a peer-to-peer model is used to calibrate the one ormore component devices.

In an embodiment, at least one of the one or more component devices iscalibrated autonomously and independently from calibrating all othercomponent devices in the one or more component devices.

In an embodiment, one or more first calibration offsets of a firstcomponent device in the one or more component devices are used togenerate one or more second calibration offsets of a second differentcomponent device in the one or more component devices.

In an embodiment, the one or more component devices are calibratedtime-wise sequentially.

In an embodiment, the one or more component devices comprise an imagerused to render component device display images; one or more calibrationoffsets of the imager are used to register objects depicted in thecomponent device display images spatially accurately with other objectsdepicted in other display images generated by a display system otherthan the wearable device.

In an embodiment, the one or more component devices comprise an imagerused to render component device display images; one or more calibrationoffsets of the imager are used to register objects depicted in thecomponent device display images spatially accurately with physicalobjects in a physical scene.

In an embodiment, a wearable device for augmented media contentexperiences comprises: a mountable physical structure that has one ormore removably mountable positions; one or more component devices thatare removably mounted through the one or more removably mountablepositions. The one or more component devices are specifically selectedbased on a specific type of content consumption environment in which thewearable device is to operate. The mountable physical structure issubject to a device washing process to which the one or more componentdevices are not subject to, after the wearable device including themountable physical structure and the one or more component devices isused by a viewer in a content consumption session in the specific typeof content consumption environment so long as the one or more componentdevices are subsequently removed from the mountable physical structureafter the content consumption session.

In an embodiment, each component device, of the one or more componentdevices, represents a modular device enclosed in a respective physicalhousing dedicated to each such component device.

In an embodiment, the mountable physical structure has an externalsurface on which a set of light sources is located; light from the setof light sources is used for outside-in device tracking by an externaldevice tracker present in the specific type of content consumptionenvironment.

In an embodiment, each component device in the one or more componentdevices is removable from the mountable physical structure and ismountable to a different mountable physical structure to form adifferent wearable device.

In an embodiment, the different wearable device is to operate in one of:the specific content consumption environment, one or more contentconsumption environments different from the specific content consumptionenvironment, and so forth.

In an embodiment, the mountable physical structure is provided by anoperator of a mass entertainment venue; the mountable physical structureis to be washed in the device washing process in accordance with laws orindustry regulations; the device washing process is to include use ofone or more of: liquids, chemical agents, pressures, movements, and soforth.

In an embodiment, the mountable physical structure is free of electroniccomponents that are susceptible to damage in the device washing processand that are not insulated from physical contact with liquid.

In an embodiment, the mountable physical structure is free of opticalcomponents that are susceptible to damage in the device washing processand that are not insulated from physical contact with liquid.

In an embodiment, at least one of the one or more component devicescomprises electronic components that are susceptible to damage in thedevice washing process and that are not insulated from physical contactwith liquid.

In an embodiment, at least one of the one or more component devicescomprises optical components that are susceptible to damage in thedevice washing process and that are not insulated from physical contactwith liquid.

In an embodiment, at least one of the one or more component devices issubject to a second device washing process different from the devicewashing process.

In an embodiment, the device washing process is specifically designed toallow the mountable physical structure to be used for a second differentwearable device of a second different viewer in the specific type ofcontent consumption environment.

In an embodiment, a component device of the one or more componentdevices is mounted to a removably mountable position of the one or moreremovably mountable positions; the removably mountable position is freeof any electric or optical interface.

In an embodiment, a component device of the one or more componentdevices is mounted to a removably mountable position of the one or moreremovably mountable positions; the removably mountable positioncomprises an optical interface to the component device.

In an embodiment, the one or more component devices include one or moreof: optical stacks to view physical scenes, optical stacks to viewimages rendered by display systems external to the wearable device,imagers for the wearable device to render component device displayimages, simultaneous location and mapping devices, eye tracking devices,and so forth.

In an embodiment, the specific type of content consumption environmentrepresents one of: a cinema-based content consumption environment, ahome-based content consumption environment, an outdoor contentconsumption environment, and so forth.

In an embodiment, the wearable device comprises optical stacks that areused to view three-dimensional images rendered by a display system otherthan the wearable device.

In an embodiment, the optical stacks are irremovably built into thewearable device.

In an embodiment, the optical stacks are clipped onto the wearabledevice.

In an embodiment, each of the one or more component devices comprisesits own electric power source.

In an embodiment, a component device in the one or more componentdevices generates image rendering light that is optically routed intoanother component device in the wearable device.

In an embodiment, all of the one or more component devices areinterconnected wirelessly.

In an embodiment, at least two of the one or more component devices areelectrically or optically interconnected using electric or opticalinterfaces provided by the one or more removably mountable positions.

In an embodiment, the one or more component devices are to be calibratedto generate non-factory calibration offsets after the one or morecomponent devices are removably mounted into the mountable physicalstructure of the wearable device by a viewer of the wearable device.

In an embodiment, the wearable device comprises a further componentdevice that is removably mounted to a removably mountable position of acomponent device in the one or more component devices.

In an embodiment, the wearable device comprises one or more audiospeakers that transmit sounds through the viewer's bone structure.

In various example embodiments, an apparatus, a system, an apparatus, orone or more other computing devices performs any or a part of theforegoing methods as described. In an embodiment, a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium stores software instructions, whichwhen executed by one or more processors cause performance of a method asdescribed herein.

Note that, although separate embodiments are discussed herein, anycombination of embodiments and/or partial embodiments discussed hereinmay be combined to form further embodiments.

-   10. Implementation Mechanisms—Hardware Overview

According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein areimplemented by one or more special-purpose computing devices. Thespecial-purpose computing devices may be hard-wired to perform thetechniques, or may include digital electronic devices such as one ormore application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs) that are persistently programmed toperform the techniques, or may include one or more general purposehardware processors programmed to perform the techniques pursuant toprogram instructions in firmware, memory, other storage, or acombination. Such special-purpose computing devices may also combinecustom hard-wired logic, ASICs, or FPGAs with custom programming toaccomplish the techniques. The special-purpose computing devices may bedesktop computer systems, portable computer systems, handheld devices,networking devices or any other device that incorporates hard-wiredand/or program logic to implement the techniques.

For example, FIG. 5 is a block diagram that illustrates a computersystem 500 upon which an example embodiment of the invention may beimplemented. Computer system 500 includes a bus 502 or othercommunication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardwareprocessor 504 coupled with bus 502 for processing information. Hardwareprocessor 504 may be, for example, a general purpose microprocessor.

Computer system 500 also includes a main memory 506, such as a randomaccess memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 502for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor504. Main memory 506 also may be used for storing temporary variables orother intermediate information during execution of instructions to beexecuted by processor 504. Such instructions, when stored innon-transitory storage media accessible to processor 504, rendercomputer system 500 into a special-purpose machine that is customized toperform the operations specified in the instructions.

Computer system 500 further includes a read only memory (ROM) 508 orother static storage device coupled to bus 502 for storing staticinformation and instructions for processor 504.

A storage device 510, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, solidstate RAM, is provided and coupled to bus 502 for storing informationand instructions.

Computer system 500 may be coupled via bus 502 to a display 512, such asa liquid crystal display, for displaying information to a computerviewer. An input device 514, including alphanumeric and other keys, iscoupled to bus 502 for communicating information and command selectionsto processor 504. Another type of viewer input device is cursor control516, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys forcommunicating direction information and command selections to processor504 and for controlling cursor movement on display 512. This inputdevice typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis(e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specifypositions in a plane.

Computer system 500 may implement the techniques described herein usingcustomized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/orprogram logic which in combination with the computer system causes orprograms computer system 500 to be a special-purpose machine. Accordingto one embodiment, the techniques herein are performed by computersystem 500 in response to processor 504 executing one or more sequencesof one or more instructions contained in main memory 506. Suchinstructions may be read into main memory 506 from another storagemedium, such as storage device 510. Execution of the sequences ofinstructions contained in main memory 506 causes processor 504 toperform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments,hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions.

The term “storage media” as used herein refers to any non-transitorymedia that store data and/or instructions that cause a machine tooperation in a specific fashion. Such storage media may comprisenon-volatile media and/or volatile media. Non-volatile media includes,for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 510.Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 506. Commonforms of storage media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexibledisk, hard disk, solid state drive, magnetic tape, or any other magneticdata storage medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical data storage medium,any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, aFLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, any other memory chip or cartridge.

Storage media is distinct from but may be used in conjunction withtransmission media. Transmission media participates in transferringinformation between storage media. For example, transmission mediaincludes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including thewires that comprise bus 502. Transmission media can also take the formof acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-waveand infra-red data communications.

Various forms of media may be involved in carrying one or more sequencesof one or more instructions to processor 504 for execution. For example,the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk or solidstate drive of a remote computer. The remote computer can load theinstructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over atelephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system 500 canreceive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitterto convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector canreceive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriatecircuitry can place the data on bus 502. Bus 502 carries the data tomain memory 506, from which processor 504 retrieves and executes theinstructions. The instructions received by main memory 506 mayoptionally be stored on storage device 510 either before or afterexecution by processor 504.

Computer system 500 also includes a communication interface 518 coupledto bus 502. Communication interface 518 provides a two-way datacommunication coupling to a network link 520 that is connected to alocal network 522. For example, communication interface 518 may be anintegrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellitemodem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to acorresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communicationinterface 518 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a datacommunication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also beimplemented. In any such implementation, communication interface 518sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals thatcarry digital data streams representing various types of information.

Network link 520 typically provides data communication through one ormore networks to other data devices. For example, network link 520 mayprovide a connection through local network 522 to a host computer 524 orto data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 526.ISP 526 in turn provides data communication services through the worldwide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the“Internet” 528. Local network 522 and Internet 528 both use electrical,electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. Thesignals through the various networks and the signals on network link 520and through communication interface 518, which carry the digital data toand from computer system 500, are example forms of transmission media.

Computer system 500 can send messages and receive data, includingprogram code, through the network(s), network link 520 and communicationinterface 518. In the Internet example, a server 530 might transmit arequested code for an application program through Internet 528, ISP 526,local network 522 and communication interface 518.

The received code may be executed by processor 504 as it is received,and/or stored in storage device 510, or other non-volatile storage forlater execution.

-   11. Equivalents, Extensions, Alternatives and Miscellaneous

In the foregoing specification, example embodiments of the inventionhave been described with reference to numerous specific details that mayvary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole and exclusiveindicator of what is the invention, and is intended by the applicants tobe the invention, is the set of claims that issue from this application,in the specific form in which such claims issue, including anysubsequent correction. Any definitions expressly set forth herein forterms contained in such claims shall govern the meaning of such terms asused in the claims. Hence, no limitation, element, property, feature,advantage or attribute that is not expressly recited in a claim shouldlimit the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawingsare, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than arestrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wearable device for augmented media contentexperiences, comprising: a mountable physical structure that has two ormore removably mountable positions; two or more component devices thatare removably mounted through the two or more removably mountablepositions; wherein the two or more component devices comprise one ormore imagers for the wearable device to render device display images;wherein the mountable physical structure is subject to a device washingprocess to which the two or more component devices are not subject to,after the wearable device including the mountable physical structure andthe two or more component devices is used by a viewer in a contentconsumption session in the specific type of content consumptionenvironment so long as the two or more component devices aresubsequently removed from the mountable physical structure after thecontent consumption session.
 2. The wearable device of claim 1, whereineach component device, of the two or more component devices, representsa modular device enclosed in a respective physical housing dedicated toeach such component device.
 3. The wearable device of claim 1, whereinthe mountable physical structure has an external surface on which a setof light sources is located, and wherein light from the set of lightsources is used for outside-in device tracking by an external devicetracker.
 4. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein each componentdevice in the two or more component devices is removable from themountable physical structure and is mountable to a different mountablephysical structure to form a different wearable device.
 5. The wearabledevice of claim 1, wherein the mountable physical structure is providedby an operator of a mass entertainment venue, wherein the mountablephysical structure is to be washed in the device washing process inaccordance with laws or industry regulations, and wherein the devicewashing process is to include use of two or more of: liquids, chemicalagents, pressures, or movements.
 6. The wearable device of claim 1,wherein the mountable physical structure is free of electroniccomponents that are susceptible to damage in the device washing processand that are not insulated from physical contact with liquid.
 7. Thewearable device of claim 1, wherein the mountable physical structure isfree of optical components that are susceptible to damage in the devicewashing process and that are not insulated from physical contact withliquid.
 8. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein at least one of thetwo or more component devices comprises electronic or optical componentsthat are susceptible to damage in the device washing process and thatare not insulated from physical contact with liquid.
 9. The wearabledevice of claim 1, wherein the two or more component devices include oneor more of: optical stacks to view physical scenes, optical stacks toview images rendered by display systems external to the wearable device,simultaneous location and mapping devices, or eye tracking devices. 10.The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the wearable device comprisesoptical stacks that are used to view three-dimensional images renderedby a display system other than the wearable device.
 11. The wearabledevice of claim 1, wherein a component device in the two or morecomponent devices generates image rendering light that is opticallyrouted into another component device in the wearable device.
 12. Thewearable device of claim 1, wherein the two or more component devicesare interconnected wirelessly.
 13. The wearable device of claim 1,wherein at least two of the two or more component devices areelectrically or optically interconnected using electric or opticalinterfaces provided by the two or more removably mountable positions.14. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the two or more componentdevices are to be calibrated to generate non-factory calibration offsetsafter the two or more component devices are removably mounted into themountable physical structure of the wearable device by a viewer of thewearable device.
 15. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein thewearable device comprises a further component device that is removablymounted to a removably mountable position of a component device in thetwo or more component devices.
 16. The wearable device of claim 1,wherein the wearable device comprises one or more audio speakers thattransmit sounds through the viewer's bone structure.
 17. A method ofproviding a wearable device for augmented media content experiences,comprising: determining two or more component devices to be mounted tothe wearable device, wherein the two or more component devices compriseone or more imagers for the wearable device to render device displayimages; wherein the wearable device comprises a mountable physicalstructure that has two or more removably mountable positions; using thetwo or more removably mountable positions of the mountable physicalstructure to removably mount the two or more component devices; whereinthe mountable physical structure is subject to a device washing processto which the two or more component devices are not subject to, after thewearable device including the mountable physical structure and the twoor more component devices is used by a viewer in a content consumptionsession in the specific type of content consumption environment so longas the two or more component devices are subsequently removed from themountable physical structure after the content consumption session. 18.The wearable device of claim 17, wherein each component device, of thetwo or more component devices, represents a modular device enclosed in arespective physical housing dedicated to each such component device. 19.The wearable device of claim 17, wherein the mountable physicalstructure has an external surface on which a set of light sources islocated, and wherein light from the set of light sources is used foroutside-in device tracking by an external device tracker present in thespecific type of content consumption environment.
 20. The wearabledevice of claim 17, wherein at least one of the two or more componentdevices comprises electronic or optical components that are susceptibleto damage in the device washing process and that are not insulated fromphysical contact with liquid.